Awol Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 (edited) 32 minutes ago, Genie said: It’ll be seen possibly as the straw that breaks the back. Yes, a lot of stuff is happening in the shadows but Poland transferring jets to the US just to transfer them to Ukraine is a step up and I expect will be seen as an escalation. Then what? Is Putin going to attack the US, declare war when 75% of his army’s available combat power is fighting in Ukraine? I’m not in favour of the loose no-fly zone talk, but the psychological effect of these jets is as much to intimidate Moscow and let them know we are not intimidated, as it is to materially aid Ukraine. It’s strategic communication and Biden has fumbled this badly, imo. Edited March 9, 2022 by Awol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Awol said: Then what? Is Putin going to attack the US, declare war when 75% of his army’s available combat power is fighting in Ukraine? I’m not in favour of the loose no-fly zone talk, but the psychological effect of these jets is as much to intimidate Moscow and let them know we are not intimidated, as it is to materially aid Ukraine. It’s strategic communication and Biden has fumbled this badly, imo. He might attack Poland, and then it’s full fat WW3. Maybe in the scheme of things, if they think Russia is a wounded animal and they won’t dust off the nukes then it’ll bring it to a head quickly which could all be part of the plan. Maybe being so public about it is also part of the plan, put the ball back into Putin’s court to see what he does, if anything. Edited March 9, 2022 by Genie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted March 9, 2022 Moderator Share Posted March 9, 2022 12 hours ago, TheAuthority said: The thing is NATO aircraft will be/are equipped with particular systems which allow NATO member pilots to all operate and communicate and identify and integrate into airspace without shooting each other and able to pass data securely between them. All the equipment that does that would have to be removed, both because Ukrainian pilots have no trains on it and because NATO does not want any of it falling into Putin’s hands. What we’re talking about, here, then, is potentially removing radios, communication systems, crypto management, transponders… All that can be done, but the transfer isn’t just like “here’s my car and here’s the keys, off you go”. It’s more like “here’s my car, I’ve removed the radio, the Satnav, started converting it from left hand drive to right hand drive, you’ll need to finish that…” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnkarl Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 The amount of pisstaking of Russia's fumbled invasion is quality humour. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amsterdam_Neil_D Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 5 minutes ago, magnkarl said: The amount of pisstaking of Russia's fumbled invasion is quality humour. I think the clicp of the Ukrainian at the UN telling the London based Russian diplomates who re-tweeted Lavrov's reason for the war, he told him that in the UK you can call "111" for mental health care was class. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow1988 Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 15 hours ago, sne said: No more McJeltsins for the Russians. They might be better off after this one if I'm honest. Tbh if I was Russian, I'd be seeing this as positive 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post bickster Posted March 9, 2022 Moderator Popular Post Share Posted March 9, 2022 10 minutes ago, sparrow1988 said: Tbh if I was Russian, I'd be seeing this as positive McDonalds, no matter what we think of them here, is massively symbolic of the opening up of Russia to the freedoms of the west When McDs opened their first branch in Moscow it made headlines all around the world, it was on the evening news in the UK. It really is up there with Levi jeans which were used as blackmarket currency during the Soviet years. Both of those brands pulling out of Russia is more than just an economic message. It's hugely symbolic, it's telling the Russian people, you are going back to the dark days, days an awful lot of them have never experienced 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow1988 Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 Just now, bickster said: McDonalds, no matter what we think of them here, is massively symbolic of the opening up of Russia to the freedoms of the west When McDs opened their first branch in Moscow it made headlines all around the world, it was on the evening news in the UK. It really is up there with Levi jeans which were used as blackmarket currency during the Soviet years. Both of those brands pulling out of Russia is more than just ab economic message. It's hugely symbolic, it's telling the Russian people, you are going back to the dark days, days an awful lot of them have never experienced Yeah, I am aware of its significance in a cultural context as regards Russia. I just hate the place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted March 9, 2022 Moderator Share Posted March 9, 2022 Just now, sparrow1988 said: Yeah, I am aware of its significance in a cultural context as regards Russia. I just hate the place. me too but I think here it needs to be viewed in its wider context 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted March 9, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted March 9, 2022 **** off. You can't beat a quarter pounder with cheese. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 Anyone want to be a private military agent in Ukraine? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60669763 Wanted: multilingual former soldiers willing to covertly head into Ukraine for the handsome sum of up to $2,000 (£1,523) per day - plus bonus - to help rescue families from an increasingly grim conflict. It sounds ripped from the script of an action movie, but the job advert is real - taken from an employment website, Silent Professionals, for those working in the private military and security industry. And, insiders say, demand is growing. Amid a gut-wrenching war in Ukraine, US and European private contractors say they are increasingly eying opportunities, ranging from 'extraction' missions to helping with logistics. There is "a frenzy in the market" for private contractors in Ukraine today, said Robert Young Pelton, a Canadian American author and expert on private military companies (PMCs). But the demand for paid security workers - many of them former soldiers with ability to fight and kill - in the midst of a war leaves plenty of room for mistakes, and the potential for bedlam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 I wonder how you get the bonus. By not getting yourself killed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow1988 Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 9 minutes ago, sidcow said: **** off. You can't beat a quarter pounder with cheese. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow1988 Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 14 minutes ago, bickster said: me too but I think here it needs to be viewed in its wider context Yep I agree. Coca-cola pulled their operations in Russia as well. That's another big one culturally similar to McDonalds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 Thought this vid was interesting because it’s put out by official Russian MoD channels, and includes a vehicle flying the Soviet flag. There’s been lots of examples of that during this invasion but it’s the first time I’ve seen Russian government sources promoting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osmark86 Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 23 minutes ago, sidcow said: **** off. You can't beat a quarter pounder with cheese. you really can though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
It's Your Round Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 24 minutes ago, sidcow said: **** off. You can't beat a quarter pounder with cheese. I keep telling the staff this, but every time, my burger comes back looking like it’s been beaten to death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted March 9, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted March 9, 2022 2 minutes ago, osmark86 said: you really can though 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfc1982am Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 Interesting that the Gremlin are now saying they've uncovered evidence of US assisting the Ukraine to create chemical and biological weapons. Surely if the US had been doing anything these would have been the first places to be destroyed as evidence cleaning. I don't buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfc1982am Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 11 minutes ago, Awol said: Thought this vid was interesting because it’s put out by official Russian MoD channels, and includes a vehicle flying the Soviet flag. There’s been lots of examples of that during this invasion but it’s the first time I’ve seen Russian government sources promoting it. This is enough to suggest what they really want. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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